Controlling mechanism for fastener-inserting machines.



s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented July 28, 1914.

H. A. BALLARD. CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR FASTENER INSERTING MACHINES.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 23, 1906. 1 ,105,238.

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CONTROLLING MEGH-ANISM FOR FASTBNER INSERTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1906.

1,105,238, Patented July 28, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

waawss 85 3'5 .2 JG (Maw, WM, W 6 ,fiarrc'ej ,ZEaZZaraZ. M by w 7 eg s THE NORRIS PETERS 00.. PHOTOLITHQ. WASHINGTON, D C

H. A. BALLARDI CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR FASTBNEB. INSERTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1906.

1,105,238. Patented July 23, 191:;

I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HE NORRIS PETERS C0.. PHOTO-LITHON WASHINGTON D- C.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HARRIE A. BALLARD, SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOYLSTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR FASTENEIt-INSERTING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I J 1y 28 1914;.

Application filed May 28, 1308. Serial No. 319,054. I I

those for automatically inserting fasteners in the pieces of work to be treated, and more particularly to machines in which the work is" supported on a jack and in which a continuously rotating clutch-pulley for rotating the main shaft is under the control of the operator. A

Of the three important features of the invention one is the construction and arrangev ment of the two treadles of which one efiects the raising of the jack from the position in which it receives the work to operative position, and the other controls the clutch pulley hereinhefore mentioned, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Another feature is the jack-raising and supporting means hereinafter described which so supports the jack that when being held by its treadle so as to maintain the jack in operative position it sustains the impact of the fastener driving mechanism on the work without in any degree communicating the same to the treadle. This prevents the vibration of the jack-treadle, when each fastener is driven into the work, which has been an objectionable feature in machines of this class heretofore used.

The third important feature is the combination with the jack-raising means, of

means as hereinafter claimed for automatically depressing the jack under spring tension after each fastener is inserted for permitting the feeding of the work. Said jack-depressing means is operable independently of the jack treadle and supporting means and as in the case of the impact of the fastener driving mechanism, its action on the jack has no vibratory effect upon the treadle.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,--Figure 1 shows in side elevation the principal features of a shoe-nailing machine constructed .in accordance with this invention. In this figure the jack is normally depressed for the applica- Fig. 3 shows the same features as Fig. lin the positions occupied when the jack is raisedto' operative position. Fig. 4: is a sec tional plan view of the treadle mechanism. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the jack-raising lever. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the automatic"jack-depressing mechanism. F 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a section" on the line 8+8 of Fig. 1. F ig..9 is a vertical section through the clutclrpulley operating mechanism onthe line 99 ofFig. 1. Fig. 10 represents an enlarged section through clutch-pulley and the adjacent parts.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

' A head 10 which contains the fastener driving mechanism is mounted upon a standard or frame '11. The standard has a suitable vertical bearing 12 in which is mounted a vertically movable worksupport or jack '18 adapted to support a shoe below the fastener-driving mechanism or other mechanlsm to operate on the work. The form of tion of the shoe. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofv the tread portions of the operating treadles.

mechanism which is herein illustrated is adpted to insert a series of fasteners in rapid succession and comprises a rotatable driving shaft lt'mounted in bearings 15 15,a driverbar 16 mounted in vertical bearings l7 l7 and having a driver 18in vertical alinement with the jack, and a cam 19 affixed tothe shaft 14: a

of which one end is pivoted to the lower end of the jack and the other endto one end of. a lever 23 mountedon astud 24: held by the frame 11. To the other end of the lever 23 is pivoted one end of a link 25. The other end of thelink 25 is pivotally connected to means hereinafter described which compensates for various thicknesses of work on the jack. Said means forms connection between the link and a link 26 of which the upper end is adjustably pivoted to an arm 27 affixed to an oscillatory shaft 28 mounted in a bracket 29 projecting from the head 10. Another arm 30 also aflixed to the shaft 28 carries a trundle-roll 31 which occupies a cam groove 32 in a disk 33 affixed to the shaft 14. By means of the several members just described the cam 32 effects a-vertical reciprocation of the jack after each operation of the fastener driving mechanism. hen the machine is at rest the jack is normally depressed as shown in Fig. 1 but when raised to operative position by treadle mech anism hereinafter described it presses a shoe 100 mounted thereon against a fixed plate or gage 34, and when the jack is depressed by the automatic mechanism hereinbefore described the shoe is withdrawn from the gage thus leaving it free to be fed or turned about the ack. Y

The jack is initially raised and finally depressed by a combination of levers actuated by a treadle pivotally mounted upon a stud 35 at the base of the standard 11. Said treadle has a bell-crank arm 36 of which the free end is connected by twin links 37 37 to a depending lever or hanger 38 mounted upon a stud 39 in the standard. See Fig. 5. The lower end of the hanger is forked and strad dles an arm 41 oflwhich one end is pivot ally mounted upon the stud 24. The free end of the arm 41 is provided with a hole 42 through which the link 22 extends, and with a broadened surface between which and a collar 43 threaded upon said link is interposed a helical spring 44. The under side of the arm 41 is provided with an inclined face 45 and a radial face 46 either ofwhich may bear upon a trundle-roll 47 mounted on a stud 48 connecting the forked ends of the hanger 38. A spring 49 connected to the hanger and to an ear 50 on the arm 41 normally holds thehanger so that the roll 47 engages the inclined face 45 of said arm. lVhen the treadle 40 is depressed it actuates the hanger 38 against the tension of the spring 49 thus causing the roll 47 to travel along the inclined face 45 toward the radial face 46 of the arm 41, and so to elevate the free end of said arm. The movement is transmitted through the spring 44 to the jack thus forcing the shoe 100 against the plate 34 with a yielding pressure. If the hanger be moved so far as to cause the roll 47 to leave the face 45 and engage the face 46 of the arm 41, pressure upon the treadle 40 performs no part in sustaining the weight and pressure of the jack upon said arm, but merely counteracts the tension of the restoring spring 49, while the hanger alone supports the arm. It is therefore obvious that when the treadle 40 is depressed as shown in Fig. 3, increased tension of the spring 44, caused by a blow of the driver 18 upon the work, or by the operation of the cam' 32 in depressing the jack, has no effect whatsoever upon the treadle. This feature is considered a distinct improvement in ack treadles as the movements of the jack cannot be felt and the operators foot is therefore free from constant jarring which has heretofore characterized machines of this kind.

= The hereinbefore mentioned mechanism which compensates for various thicknesses of work upon the jack is best illustrated in Fig. 6. Although this mechanism is not specifically new and forms no part of this invention, it is essential to the working of the treadle depressing mechanism.

51 is a reciprocatory pawl-carrier mounted in bearings 52 52 projecting from the standard 11, and pivotally connected by a stud to the lower end of the link 26. Said carrier carries a spring pressed pawl 53 which is adapted toengage with teeth on a 'recipro eatory rack-bar 54 also mounted in the bearings 52 52. Said rack-bar is pivotally connected by a stud to the upper end of the link 25, and the relation thereto of said pawl is such that when the carrier 51 is elevated the pawlengages therewith and elevates the link 25 and consequently depresses the jack by the connections already described. The lowering of the rackbar is caused by the tension of the spring 44 which tends to raise the jack and is therefore independent of the lowering of the pawl-carrier.

55 is an adjustable fixed stop or pawltripper which disengages the pawl 53 from the rack-bar when the pawl is lowered as it is when the machine is at rest, so that the jack may be raised by the treadle 40 inde pendently of the j aok-depressing mechanism. The forward end of the lever 23 is provided with an upturned projection 123 which is adapted to engage the under side of the forward extremityof the arm 41 when the machine is at rest. This is to provide a stop for the lever 23 sothat the spring 44 may be compressed by the collar 43 to any desired degree of compression without affecting the normal position of the j ack.

The hereinbefore mentioned mechanism for controlling the clutch-pulley 21 is actuated by a starting and stoppingtreadle 6O fulcrumed upon the stud 35 which also'serves as the fulcrum for the jack raising and lowering treadle 40. The treadle is provided with a rearwardly extending integral arm 61 which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a rod 62. Said rod extends through a boss 63 on the rear side of the standard 11 and its upper end is pivotally connected to one end of a brake lever 64 afiixed to one end of an oscillatory shaft 65 mounted in suitable bearings upon the head 10. An arm 66 aflixed to the other end of the shaft carries at its free end a roller 67 of which both sides of the periphery are beveled. Said roller is adapted to control the clutch pulley as hereinafter explained.

68 is a cone member rigidly secured to the shaft 14 and adapted to cooperate with a female conical flange 69 on the pulley 21.

70 is a disk rigidly secured upon the shaft 14 on the other side of the pulley 24twith reference to the member 68. The pulley as already stated is loosely mounted upon. the shaft and is adapted to be moved axially thereon as well as to rotate about the same. A spring 71 coiled about the shaft between the member 68 and .thepulley normally forces the latter against the disk 7 0, thereby keeping it from cooperative engagement with the member 68. Whenthe treadle 60 is depressed, however, the arm 66 is oscillated so as to move the roller 67 toward the shaft 14. In so moving, the roller enters betweenthe limbs of the disk 70 and of the pulley. The contacting faces of said hubs are beveled so as to correspond with the edge of the'roller and are wedged apart thereby until the flange 69 on the pulley cooperatively engages the member 68 to rotate the same. A concentric flange 72 extending partially around the periphery of the disk 70 overhangs the roller 67, and when ro-' tated by the shaft l-it so as to pass by the roller the internal face of the flange prevents the roller from leaving its position between the hubs of the disk and pulley.

So long as the treadle 60 is depressed the roller 67 is held between the hubs by the arm 66, but if the treadle is released when.

the flange is opposite the roller, the flange continues to hold the roller in engagement with the disk and pulley hubs until the blank space between the ends of the flange arrives opposite the roller. Then the roller is released and the entire clutch controlling mechanism is returned to normal position by a spring 73 compressed between the boss 63 and a collar 74 afiixed .tothe treadle rod 62. When the roller 67 is released it moves to the space between the ends of the flange, andthe rotation of the shaft is arrested by suitable brake mechanism hereinafter described to prevent the momentum of the machine from causing the nose of said flange to engage and move the roller back to operative position.

The lever 64 which actuates the shaft 65 has an extension 75 to which is pivoted a segmental brake-shoe 76 adapted to engage a flange 77 projecting from the cam disk 33.

lVhen the clutch cont-rolling mechanism is in normal or inoperative position the brakeshoe 7 6 is pressed by the force of the spring 73 against said flange 77, and when the treadle 60 is depressed .to throw in the driving clutch the lever 64: withdraws the brakeshoe and at the same time causes the roller 67 to operate as previously described.

Referring now to the two treadles 40 and 60, andto Figs. 1, 2, 3and 4 of the drawings it will be seen that theyare of the same' length and are separated by a space calculated to be sufficient forfthe insertion there between of an operators foot with suitable clearance. Said treadles are provided with suitable ears or tread-portions as and g re spe'ctively, each of which extends toward the other slightly less than half the distance between-the levers. By reason of theproximity of the treadles to the floor and the 10- cation of the ears on the treadles and the foot space between thetreadles it is obvious that they are especially adapted to be depressed by the heel' of a foot of which the forepart may rest upon the floor between the treadles. Furthermore it is obvious that both treadles may be depressed by a simple unidirectional movement of the heel, or thateither may be depressed independently, although in the lattercase preferably by the sole instead of by the heel. 7

It is necessary that the jack be dropped after the machine steps so that the work may be readily removed or applied thereto, and it is also necessary that the jack be raised to operative position before the fastener driving mechanism is set in motion. I

In order to insure the correct sequence of movements of the jack and the clutch con trolling mechanism the treadle 40 which raises the jack is so arranged that when in normal position it is raised slightly farther from the floor than the treadle 60. A foot movedto depress both of the treadles therefore engages and moves the treadle 40 before engaging the treadle 60, and so effects the raising of the jack before engaging the clutch controlling treadle, after whichboth treadles move together.

When the machine is to be stopped the raising of the foot on the treadles, first releases the starting and stopping treadle and eflects the movement of the clutching mechanism to inactive position, and the continued raising of the foot releases the jack controlling treadle t0, (after the treadle 60 has reached the limit of its upward movement) and permits the dropping of the jack to position forallowing the removal of the shoe. i

1. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a normally retracted jack, a supporting spring'for constantly supporting said jack, a treadle, movable means on which said spring rests support-ed by said frame independently of the treadle, and connections between said treadle and said means wherebyth'e actuation of said treadle moves the spring bodily and thereby moves said jack into operative position, said supporting means and spring when in operative position sustaining the force exerted by the operating mechanism on the work carried by the jack independently of the treadle, whereby the impact on the work is not felt by the operators foot on the treadle.

2. In a machine of the class described, a normally retracted jack, a treadle which is disconnected from the jack, movable means supported independently of said treadle and the jack and adapted to be actuated by said treadle to raise the jack to operative posi tion, said movable means being adapted when holding said jack in operative position to sustain the force exerted on the work, and a spring on which the jack rests, said spring being supported upon and movable bodily by said movable means to raise said ack.

3. In a machine of the class described, a movable jack for holding the work, a treadie, a spring which supports the jack, a movable member on which the spring is supported and by whichthe spring is bodily raised to compress itand to raise the jack, means for supporting said member independently of the treadle, and movable means loosely connected with the treadle for actuating said member.

4;. In a machine of the class described, a movable jack for supporting the work, a coiled spring sufficiently strong to hold the jack and support the work during the operation thereon, a pivoted member on which the spring is supported and by which the spring is raised to raise the jack, a member pivoted upon the frame of the machine and operating to move said pivoted member, and a treadle having a link connection with the second-mentioned member.

5. In a machine of the class described, a movable jack for the work, means for moving the jack, two treadles arranged side by side, one connected to the jackmoving means and the other being a starting and stopping treadle, said treadles forming a vertical passageway sufficient for the passage therethrough of a foot, and two oppositely disposed ears projecting horizontally, one from each of said treadles toward the other, the ear on the treadle connected to the jack-moving means being normally above and terminating short of the other ear.

6. In a machine of the class described, a driving shaft, a movable jack for supporting the work, yielding means supported inclependent-ly of the treadle and comprising a bodily movable spring for supporting and raising said jack, and a treadle connected to said jack-moving means for actuating but not supporting it.

7. In a machine of the class described, a driving shaft, a treadle, a normally depressed jack for supporting the work, and means including a powerful coiled spring bodily movable for yieldingly lifting and supporting said jack during the operation on the work, said means being connected to but supported independently of said treadle and adapted to be actuated thereby to raise the jack.

8. In a machine of the character clesoribed, a driving shaft, a starting and stopping treadle, a work support, and a treadle independent of the starting and" stopping treadle for controlling the preliminary elevation and final depression of the work support, said treadles being constructed and arranged side by side in close proximity with the second treadle elevated above the first treadle so that by a simple downward pressure of a foot'placed between them first the work-support-controlling treadle and then both treadles together may be depressed.

9. In a machine of the character described, a driving shaft, a movable jack, a treadle adapted to be depressed by the toe or heel of a foot for effecting the preliminary elevation and final depression of said jack, and a starting-and-stopping treadle adapted to be depressed by the toe or heel of a foot and independent of the first-mentioned treadle, said treadles being side by side with the foot-engaged part of one lower than the foot-engaged part of the other so that when depressed by the heel the jack-controlling treadle is actuated first and then both to gether, and yet either may be actuated independently if desired.

10. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a normally lowered jack, a coiled springvwhich constantly supports the jack, a movable support for said spring, said support being supported by the frame and adapted to raise said spring bodily and hence raise said jack, and manually-operated treadle, mechanism connected to said support for raising said support and thereby said spring to elevate said jack through the medium of said spring wherebythe treadle is relieved from jars due to impact of the operating tools on the work.

11. In a machine of the class described, a normally lowered jack, a sustaining spring which constantly supports said jack, a movable support for said spring having a cam surface, a member pivoted above said support and having a projection underlying and adapted to move along said cam surface to move said support and thereby effect the raising of said jack, and a foot treadle connected to said member whereby the depres sion of said treadle causes the raising of the 'ack.

J 12. In a machine of the class described, a normally lowered jack, a coiled spring of sufficient strength to support said jack during the operation upon the work thereon and on which the jack rests, a treadle and connections between said treadle and said spring but supported independently of said treadle to effect the raising of the jack by raising said spring upon the depression of the treadle.

18. In a machine of the class described, a driving shaft, a starting and stopping treadle, a normally lowered jack, and a treadle for preliminarily elevating and then depressing said jack, said treadles being capable of independent operation and with their foot-engaged portions spaced apart a distance less than the width of a human foot, with the jack-elevating and depressing treadle above the plane of the first-mentioned treadle, in consequence of which, by a downward and upward movement of the operators foot, the jack is raised before the driving shaft is started and is lowered after the driving shaft is stopped.

14. In a machine of the class described, a normally lowered jack, a sustaining spring therefor, and a pivoted support for the spring whereby said jack is'constantly supported by said spring and its support, said support having a cam surface, a treadle,'a member pivoted above said support and having a roll underlying and movable along said cam surface to support said member independently of the treadle, a retracting spring for said pivoted member, an arm connected to said treadle and a connection between said arm and said pivoted member.

15. In a machine of the class described, a normally lowered jack, a guide therefor, a sustaining spring encircling and supporting said jack, a lever for supporting and vertically moving said spring to elevate the jack, said lever having a cam surface, a lever having a roll to ride under said cam surface and operating to withstand the pressure of the jack and spring, a treadle, and a link connection between said treadle and said second-mentioned lever whereby said treadle may be moved to operate said levers witlliiout sustaining any pressure from said ac In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HARRIE A. BALLARD.

WVitnesses:

MARCUS B. MAY, A. L. FoLsoM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

